The War Within 11.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Fahrad Wagner]

It can't? Housing will probably keep me busy for months even without any expansion

I'm not saying it won't keep us busy for months or years, cause clearly it will, I'm saying it can't be the sole system/feature of the expansion that is new because it's rather optional and cosmetic, if that makes sense

[Marlamin]

Housing is coming before Midnight imo

While likely, it'll still be a Midnight feature similar to how allied races were a BfA feature while shipping at the end of Legion.

[Nymrohd]

I'm not saying it won't keep us busy for months or years, cause clearly it will, I'm saying it can't be the sole system/feature of the expansion that is new because it's rather optional and cosmetic, if that makes sense

Honestly I just want new content. New gameplay systems are just not my main priority. I am quite happy with the ones we have. I'd like to see a new class but I just cannot imagine changing mains when I have a character that has completed pretty much every quest there is in the game since the start. Heck I enjoy how my class plays know and I hope for no radical changes.

[Samin]

Housing is coming before Midnight imo

I assume to drum up pre-orders, it will technically be a Midnight feature that will be available early (pre-patch) with pre-order. Considering they now consistently roll old expansions into the base game that won't really be a factor going forward.

[Fahrad Wagner]

Honestly I just want new content. New gameplay systems are just not my main priority. I am quite happy with the ones we have. I'd like to see a new class but I just cannot imagine changing mains when I have a character that has completed pretty much every quest there is in the game since the start. Heck I enjoy how my class plays know and I hope for no radical changes.

I agree with the new class, although I hope it's something that people have been asking for a while and not something too random like evoker was (I know it kind of plays on the dragon knight class archetype but also not really?)

[FossilFree]

People have been mentioning Northeron as a zone for Quel'thalas since it was first announced, apparently ignorant of the fact that its (original) location was revealed in Cataclysm. For some reason I've seen a lot of people placing it at the area north of Stratholme, maybe confusing it with the "Northlands" from WC2, or maybe reanalysing it as a portmanteau of "north" and "Lordaeron".

At any rate, it's almost certainly a coincidence.

Before the Cataclysm revamp, you could access the unfinished zone north of Stratholme if you knew what you were doing. The zone title said Northeron when you entered. They retconned the zone in Cataclysm and moved it into the Twilight Highlands.

Even if the name changes, that unfinished zone space should be utilized finally when they fix that mess of an area up there.

[Lady Atia]

LOL, the Wildhammer gryphons got all the Horde stuff taken out of their descriptions. I wonder if that was an oversight or we will be getting a Horde themed version later?

Wanted to post the same, but I think it may actually be them responsing to feedback? They can't change models that late (and I fully don't believe any "they responded to feedback" theories for the shadowlands s4 mount, that thing was made in advance and used for + points even though the original blue one was better). But the description of a model? Easy switch.

I think their original idea was to open the mount up to more factions even though it clearly has Wildhammer iconography. Also funny it mentions Northeron after that fake leak yesterday kekW.

[COBRAstriker]

What I want to see from Midnight, leaving housing aside

Updated QT, maybe even beyond that. It's silly that Stratholme has been on fire for 22 years by the time Midnight comes out
A new race but only if it's something that was long requested like naga or ethereals
3rd spec for DHs
Shaman tank spec, similar to guadian/feral but for enhancement
Shaman, druid, paladin opened to more races
UI improvements and additions leading to the ban of combat addons
Revamp of the leveling experience - slower, a bit more methodical, delete Exile's reach, focus on starting zones and the fantasy of each race
Return and updated class order halls, proving grounds and brawler's guild
Revamp of mythic raiding. 10 man mode no lockout
Horde get some love. Rexxar as a delve companion, Rokhan, Lorthemar playing big roles and so on

What I don't want to see
Another reskin of an existing race
A new class tied to said race
Male orcs with she/her pronouns and female voice

The last one would for sure make me not buy the expansion

[Viridiel]

Before the Cataclysm revamp, you could access the unfinished zone north of Stratholme if you knew what you were doing. The zone title said Northeron when you entered. They retconned the zone in Cataclysm and moved it into the Twilight Highlands.

Even if the name changes, that unfinished zone space should be utilized finally when they fix that mess of an area up there.

Aha! Thank you, it always confused me that so many people seemed to think the same thing. I even went to that area at some point in the past, but I only really remember the Quel'thalas map.

I agree that a zone using that area is likely, maybe a naga area or just an extension of Deatholme. I'd like an extension of Deatholme.

[Dragonborn]

What I want to see from Midnight, leaving housing aside

Updated QT, maybe even beyond that. It's silly that Stratholme has been on fire for 22 years by the time Midnight comes out
A new race but only if it's something that was long requested like naga or ethereals
3rd spec for DHs
Shaman tank spec, similar to guadian/feral but for enhancement
Shaman, druid, paladin opened to more races
UI improvements and additions leading to the ban of combat addons
Revamp of the leveling experience - slower, a bit more methodical, delete Exile's reach, focus on starting zones and the fantasy of each race
Return and updated class order halls, proving grounds and brawler's guild
Revamp of mythic raiding. 10 man mode no lockout
Horde get some love. Rexxar as a delve companion, Rokhan, Lorthemar playing big roles and so on

What I don't want to see
Another reskin of an existing race
A new class tied to said race
Male orcs with she/her pronouns and female voice

The last one would for sure make me not buy the expansion

Come on. Why nooot?

[Nymrohd]

Aha! Thank you, it always confused me that so many people seemed to think the same thing. I even went to that area at some point in the past, but I only really remember the Quel'thalas map.

I agree that a zone using that area is likely, maybe a naga area or just an extension of Deatholme. I'd like an extension of Deatholme.

Stratholme is meant to be a port. There should be a bay there. It also makes sense that the various Scarlet Holdings are all connected; that coastal strip of land would connect Monastery, Hearthglen and the part of Stratholme that was under Scarlet control. It could be disputed by the Red Dawn now, perhaps having them fight the Argent Dawn (which holds Hearthglen since it is the ancestral Fordring holding). And it could also connect to Deathholme and Windrunner Spire. That area really is quite important to the story.

That said I expect Deathholme's story to be more about regrowing the Mother Tree of Eversong (which was located there). It allows a natural link to Night Elves for them to be included in the story in an important side quest which is expected since we are getting a story about all the elves coming together.

[COBRAstriker]

Come on. Why nooot?

What do you mean?

[Wangming]

I think it is actually really hard to communicate horror and dark fantasy visually these days, especially in a game like WoW. We are desensitized to what would otherwise be horrifying imagery. Audio works better but what works best is short stories/backstories which WoW simply cannot deliver due to medium limitations (no one will read them ). Unless people walk in expecting dark fantasy and thus focus on those elements, much ends up being ignored by our eyes due to maximalist design. Not at all the devs fault though.

Drustvar says Hello. Granted, the music helps a well. I'd also say Revendreth as well, but it is kinda overdone to the point of it almost feeling like a parody of vampire horror instead of a straight example.
But I have a soft spot for Duskwood, Gilneas and Drustvar.

- - - Updated - - -

Honestly, the fact they are comfortable sharing so much about housing right now means they have full faith in Midnight.

It's probably the biggest "gameplay feature" outside of a potential class, however.

Nothing potential about it, dude. Even blizz is not so out of touch to have a reveal where all the main points are already known. Housing was revealed, discussed in a series of posts and even previewed by content creators. The Gamescom reveal needs cool new stuff. That is either a race or a class. And it is class time.

[Enteroctopus Magnificus]

Unless Northeron is retconned into a brand new zone (i.e, that icy zone that was mentioned somewhere),

Northeron was a region and the northernmost part of the Twilight Highlands. It was known for its mysterious ironwood tree forests, the torrential storms from its frozen mountains, ominous and foreboding peaks, and jagged ice cliffs.

Oh shit, what if the famous frozen zone mentioned in the Chronicles was simply... Northeron?!

From the description, everything fits! Apart from the location, of course, but I don't think it should be too complicated to retcon as Northeron is just an irrelevant corner at the moment.

Shit, is this real???

[rainhard]

Considering the leak collection if anyone starts it make sure to include this image, not sure on origin a guy told me while doing frost lord ahune.

[Enteroctopus Magnificus]

I'd normally agree with the new models not being ready for players, but the Gleeful Glamour is damning. There's no reason for them to add Ethereals, but not Brokers as the exception for an item that is only for playable races, especially when we've just been given 2 separate toys that give us the appearnce of an Ethereal.

But what is it? And why is it linked to player models? Could someone please explain?

[Wangming]

Considering the leak collection if anyone starts it make sure to include this image, not sure on origin a guy told me while doing frost lord ahune.

Unlikely to be true

[zirr]

Considering the leak collection if anyone starts it make sure to include this image, not sure on origin a guy told me while doing frost lord ahune.

Can use this instead

[Nymrohd]

Drustvar says Hello. Granted, the music helps a well. I'd also say Revendreth as well, but it is kinda overdone to the point of it almost feeling like a parody of vampire horror instead of a straight example.

I'd say what made Drustvar work was audio and questlines. The little girl's voice is what gives that questline its greatest impact and we have several quests that deal with horrific situations so the significant minority of players who read quest text once would realize what was happening (audio remains your best bet imo and it is a travesty that WoW still has scant voice acting).
In contrast Deathwing's experiments in DF which is what prompted my answer are shown visually in the raid for certain but
a) a raid is not the right scenario to show horror because player focus is on the encounters, not the storyline outside cinematics
b) the space was only really used for the raid; there was no significant investment in telling the stories of his experimentation outside (there is ample evidence of it but not a focus on it).

[Wangming]

But what is it? And why is it linked to player models? Could someone please explain?

Only playable races get it. Observe:
https://warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Khaz_A...nting_formulas

So if Etherals do get one, that indeed seems we will get a race.

Oh if we get a race AND a Class in an expansion with Housing...this will be big.